Automatic control of laundry washing machines and the like



May 4, T954 5. WOODWARD ETAL AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF LAUNDRY WASHINGMACHINES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1951 M iy 4, 1954s. WOODWARD ETAL 2,677,259

AUTOMATIC NDRY WASHING CONTROL OF LAU MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept.5 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 STOP 11in) elzfbol s 5. N 0 0 d0!) mci May 4,1954 s. WOODWARD ETAL AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES ANDTHE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 5 1951 li t/06151131 5 5N0 ociwalci/ Patented May 4, 1954- UNITED ATEN T OFFICE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OFLAUNDRY WASH- ING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Application September 5, 1951,Serial No. 245,207

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 6, 1950 6 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic controls and automatic mechanism forlaundry washing or other machinesor plant in which it is necessary todeliver predeterminedquantities of liquids at predetermined times, andthe invention is more particularly concerned with electrically opcratedcontrol apparatus employing a rotary electric switch adapted toestablish and disestablish electric circuits for performing the variousoperations.

For convenience the invention will be described hereinafter by way ofexample with reference to laundry washing machines.

In British patent specification l lo. 5T9,697, there is described anautomatic control for laundry washing machines of the above type inwhich-the electric switch comprising rotary control card is adapted foralternate drive by a time motor and through the agency of flow metersfor washing'wa'ter and soap solutions but in such case the driveincorporated transmission gearing including free wheel clutch andcircuit which is established at theend of the washing cycle.

The controlcard is preferablymounted on the cylindrical surface of adrumand the drum is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis and isintermittently driven by a pawl and ratchet means through suitablereduction gearm The gears are driven by a ratchet and pawl mechathe pawlbeing pivoted to or formed in one with the spindle of a bevel gear. Anobject of the present invention is to provide improved and simplifieddriving means wherebysuch gearis unnecessary.

A drawback of the arrangementreferred to in the previous paragraphs wasthat-on completion of a washing cycle it was necessary for the operat Nomove the control-card to zero position, and

a further object of the present invention is to provide improved controlcard driving means wh reby the'card may be reset to zero positionautomatically at the end of the washing .cycle.

Accordingto the present invention, in the automatic-control of lalmdrywashing machines or The invention also consists in the provision ofmeans for impartingimpulses to the so'lenoidat the end of the washingcycle :for resetting the control card to zero position. Such impulsesmay be set up by providing the solenoid with trembler contacts (adaptedto "make and br ak the circuit to the solenoid-coil).

The solenoid coil is adapted to have impulses imparted thereto fromelectric pulsating means or make and break devices which-are associatedwith a time motor, a meter for hot'and/or cold water and a soapsolution-meter, or meters for anyother supplies required and by the'trembler malre-and-break device.

The control carol orswitch means is secured on a drum-mountedfor'rotation such drum having a metal gauze-surface =WhiOh'iS connectedto a source of current by:a contact finger at one end of the drum.

The card is provided with slots :and'apertures according-to-theoperationdesired'through which contact fingers make contact to complete variouscircuits.

The card is removably mounted on the drum so that it may be replaced byanother card having adifferent cycle of operations.

The controlmeans-according to the invention may be located :in a controlroom or compartment remote from the washing machine or it may be locatedin a sealedfcasing on or adjacent the washing machine.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1-is 'aflowdiagram'of alaundry washing plant with theautomaticcontrol according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic or block diagram of the'control according totheinvention.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view to a larger scale illustrating theimproved driving arrangement for the'control card drum.

Referring now to FigureQ in whichthe various switchesare shown-inthenormalopen or closed position, with the operating .coils de-energized asuitable low voltagesupplyisprovided by mains l and 2.

On depressing start button -3 .the relay A is energized and closes-theholding contact A1 and also starts the time motor-G which is preferablya synchronous motor.

When the-start button-{i is-released the circuit to the relay A ismaintained through the holding contact A1 and contacts .31 and E 2 whichare normally closed.

The motor Gdrivesits pulsatoror make-andbreak G1 andthus impartsimpulses to the sole noid coil T, the current flowing through contactsQ1, R1, D2 which are normally closed. The ratchet solenoid T is thusintermittently energized and actuates the pawl ill and ratchet I! andthe control card drum 4 is rotated by a step-by-step movement throughthe spur gear i2.

The drum is provided with a gauze covering 411 with which a commonreturn finger lb engages.

When the wash cycle finger makes contact through a slot 5a in thecontrol card I3 the relay B is energized. This relay controls contactsB1, B2 and B3, opening B1 and B3, and closing B2. The closing of contactB2 energizes relay C which controls contacts C1, C2 and thus contactsC1, C2 are closed. Contact C1 closes a retaining circuit for relay C.

Assuming now that hot water is to be delivered to the washing machine Mand that a slot in the card allows the water control finger 6 tocomplete a circuit to energize relay R, which controls contacts R1 andR2. R3 so that contact R1 will be opened and contacts R2, R3 closed. Theclosing of contact R3 completes a circuit to the solenoid [5 by whichthe compressed air valve I 6 is opened permitting air to flow tocylinder i? to open hot water valve 18 so that water flows through pipeI9 and meter 20 to the washing machine l4.

Contact R1 being in series with the pulsator G1 disestablishes thenormal time impulse circuit so that the time motor G while still runningdoes not drive the card drum 4. At the same time by closing contact R2 acircuit is established through Q1, R2, pulsator M1 of the meter Eli andsolenoid coil T so that the drive of the card drum 4 is now taken overby the water meter 28 which is driven by water flowing through pipe I 9,impulses being imparted by pulsator M1 to the sole noid T.

Similarly when soap solution is to be delivered a circuit is completedthrough solution finger '5 making contact through a slot in the card itby which the relay Q is energized and the inlet valve for the soapsolution opened. Relay Q controls contacts Q1 and Q3, so that contact Q1will be opened and contacts Q2, Q3 closed. The closing of contact Q3completes a circuit to the solenoid 2| so that compressed air valve 22operates to actuate air cylinder 23 whereby the valve 24 for soapsolution opens and the soap solution flows by pipe 25, solution meterand pipe 2'5 to the washing machine l4. Contact Q2 is in series withsolution meter pulsator M2 so that the solution meter 26 now takes overthe drive of the card drum 4.

Contact Q1 opens the circuit to the water meter pulsator M1 so that thewater meter drive to the card drum is stopped.

When the predetermined amount of solution has been delivered, the cardwill interrupt the circuit through the finger l de-energizing relay Q,closing contact Q1 and opening contacts Q-z and Q3 thereby cutting outthe solution pulsator M: and again completing the circuit to the timemotor pulsator G1 so that the time motor G takes over the drive of thecard drum 3. At the same time opening of contact Q3 causes the solutionvalve 24 to close.

It will be appreciated that various liquids will be delivered throughthe meter 26 to the washing machine, such as blue, soap, soda and meterflushing water and the delivery of these to the meter 26 will becontrolled respectively by valves 28, Zfi, 30, 3| under the control ofcontact fingers operating through appropriate slots in the card IS, thearrangement being such that when any one of said valves opens or closes,the meter valve 24 also functions.

When the wash cycle is complete the card will interrupt the circuitthrough wash cycle finger 5 thereby de-energizing relay B.

The de-energizing of relay B causes contacts B1 and B3 to close andcontact B2 to open. The closing of contact B3 energizes relay D therebyclosing contact D1 and D3 and opening contact D2. The opening of contactD2 interrupts the normal time pulse circuit including pulsator G1, whilethe closing of contact D3 completes a circuit to the relay through acontact T1.

The closing of contact D1 energizes relay E thereby closing contact E1and opening contact E2.

The solenoid T incorporates a trembler circuit which is controlled bythe normally closed contact T1 comprising a fixed contact 40 on bracketil and a moving contact 42 mounted on an extension l3 of the pawlelement It.

When the contact D3 is closed (R1 and Q1 being already closed), thecircuit including contact T1 will be continuously energized so that thetremcler maseand-break contacts 50, 42 function and the ratchet solenoidT will operate rapidly as it interrupts its own supply and thus the drum4 is automatically rotated to bring it to its initial or zero position.

At the zero position the wash cycle finger 5 again contacts with thedrum gauze l3 and the relay B is energized. At this moment the circuitto relay A is maintained through closed contact B1 since relay E isenergized and contact E2 is open.

Immediately relay B is energized (at zero position) contact B1 will opentie-energizing relay A. Contact A1 will then open and the time motor Gwill stop since it is no longer supplied with current through contactA1.

The card drum 4 will thus stop immediately the wash cycle finger 5enters the wash cycle slot and the card drum will thus be in the correctposition to start a fresh cycle which will commence when start button 3is depressed.

Should the power supply be interrupted during the course of a washcycle, the pressing of start button 3 when the power is restored willallow the wash to continue from the point of interruption, Should thepower supply be interrupted during a resetting or zeroising period it isnecessary to press both start and reset buttons 3 and 8 to enable thereset movement to be completed.

Thus, the ratchet drive to the control drum l will be controlled atseparate times by four sets of impulses:

(l) Impulses set up by the motor pulsator G1 which are proportional totime.

(2) Impulses set up by the Water motor pulsator M1 which areproportional to gallons of water.

(3) Impulses set up by the soap solution meter pulsator M2 which areproportional to gallons.

(4) Impulses set up by the solenoid (T) trembler coil.

The pulsators G1, M1 and M2 comprise pairs of contact elements one ofwhich is operated by an eccentric 32, 33, 34, respectively, driven bythe time motor G, the water meter 20 and the solution meter 26respectively.

It will be appreciated that a complete wash cycle has not been describedas such may include a series of washes, a series of rinses and otheritems in known manner all of which are controlled by appropriate slotsin the card l3 and contact fingers co-operating therewith.

The improved control is such that the operator is only required to loadand unload the washing machine as the whole process including the returnor" the control drum is automatic, it only being necessary to start theprocess by the pressing of the start button.

The various relays controlled by the contact fingers 5, 6, i and thosecontrolling the various phases of the complete washing cycle includingthe steam valve 36 and dump valve 31 are enclosed within a case 35having terminals to which the main supply leads I and 2 are connected.

We claim:

1. An automatic control for a machine or plant in which it is necessaryto operate valves to deliver predetermined quantities of liquids atpredetermined times and having a rotary control card switch means toestablish controlling circuits according to a predetermined formula,wherein the drive for the control card is efiected through a single oneway drive means intermittently actuated by a solenoid to which impulsesare transmitted alternately through a circuit controlled by a timemotor, and a circuit controlled by a meter through which the liquidflows, means being provided for disestablishing the circuitinappropriate to the prevailing conditions.

2. An automatic control for laundry washing machines having a rotarycontrol card switch means adapted to establish controlling circuitsaccording to a predetermined formula, wherein the drive for the controlcard is efiected through a single one way drive means intermittentlyactuated by a solenoid to which impulses are trans mitted alternatelythrough a circuit controlled by a time motor, a circuit controlled bywater meter, and a circuit controlled by a solution meter, means beingprovided for disestablish- 6 ing the circuit or circuits inappropriateto the prevailing conditions.

3. An automatic control for laundry washing machines as claimed in claim2, wherein the one way drive means comprises a pawl and ratchetmechanism.

4. An automatic control for laundry washing machines as claimed in claim3, wherein the impulses for the solenoid are provided by pulsatingdevices actuated by rotary cam means from the time motor and thesolution meter.

5. An automatic control for laundry washing machines as claimed in claim2, wherein means are provided under the control of the control card forimparting impulses to the solenoid at the end of a washing cycle forresetting the control card to its starting or zero position.

6. An automatic control for laundry washing machines as claimed in claim5, wherein said means comprise trembler make-and-break means in the coilcircuit adapted to operate during a period when the coil circuit iscontinuously energized.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,889,280 Edgren Nov. 29, 1932 1,940,549 Jones Dec. 19, 19332,055,031 Hutchings Sept. 22, 1936 2,137,928 Tangueray Nov. 22, 19382,254,269 "Clark et a1. Sept. 2, 1941 2,374,590 Dunham Apr. 24, 19452,427,207 Grieveson Sept. 9, 1947 2,430,668 'Chamberlin Nov. 11, 19472,449,634 Baade Sept. 21, 1948 2,533,888 Kahn Dec. 12, 1950 2,608,252Candor Aug. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 579,697 GreatBritain Aug. 13, 1946 597,561 Great Britain Jan. 28, 1948

